Hockey Family Celebrate with Louis Tengey

Two hockey matches were played on Saturday as part of activities to celebrate with Mr. Louis Tengey, Manager of the National Hockey Pitch on the occasion of the blessing of his marriage. It also was an occasion to show appreciation to him and honor him for his valuable contribution to hockey development in the Greater Region in particular and Ghana in general. The senior national hockey team and the national under-21 team locked horns in a fierce battle in one of the matches. In the end, the two teams settled for a pulsating 2-2 draw.

The game which commenced on a very high tempo served as platform for various hidden skills and antics to be exhibited. For the under-21 team, it was very good exercise in their preparation for the Africa under-21 competition to be held in Cairo in July to determine the two teams that will represent Africa at the junior world cup in 2009. The game was fast and thrilling and the young lads kept their senior colleagues at bay during the early exchanges. In the 8th minute however, a magnificent scoop from 2007 SWAG player of the year Joseph Appiah across the pitch from the right side of midfield found George Aseidu on the left side of the scoring circle. He dummied a defender and unleashed a backhand stroke which was connected home by Patrick Taylor with a diving deflection for a classic first goal.

The under-21 side carried the game to their seniors and piled on the pressure from which they won a number of penalty corners but failed to utilize. The national team caught the juniors on a counter-attack in the 24th minute after a penalty corner. A long ball found Joseph Appiah in the scoring circle of the under-21 team, He easily disposed of one defender and fired home a cracker from close range to register the second goal for the senior national team. The under-21 team did not give up but continued to match their seniors in all departments of the game. It therefore came as no surprise when young talented full back Theophilus Annang (Protocol) pulled one back in the 34th minute through a penalty corner to reduce the tally and end the first half 2-1 in favor of the senior national team.

On resumption from recess, the game changed dramatically with an abundance of tactical play, experience and endurance being displayed by both teams. Even though experience dominated, endurance got the better part of the exchanges as the senior national team succumbed to the better physical condition of the under-21 team who exhibited signs that their preparation for the up-coming championship in Cairo, Egypt was on course.

The game tilted more in favor of the juniors who snatched a dramatic late equalizer to crown an afternoon of good hockey. A build-up from the defensive line between smallish Richard Adjei (Sisco) and left half back Robert Aryetey found Samuel Marfo in the midfield. Marfo took-off leaving the tired legs of the seniors in his wake to set up Godsway Balagi for a simple tap into the net to fetch the equalizer in the 68th minute.

The ladies encounter saw the senior ladies team emerging 1-0 winners as they came up in a contest with a young select ladies side. The senior ladies team featured stars like Irene Yarboi, Pamela Condobry, Bea Darko, Emelia Aggrey and Ida Marmon-Halm. The young team featured players like, Abass Ramatu, Gifty Obo, Erica Ametepe, Gertrude Amui and Cynthia Clement.

The celebrations continue next week-end when Multistix, NDK Financiers, Veterans, Citizens and Ashanti Stars compete for the Louis Tengey Trophy for seniors.